The Dutch Armed Forces are to re-establish a tank battalion that was abolished in 2011 as part of military spending cuts. It is part of a military build-up plan in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The battalion will number around 350 people. It will be equipped with 50 tanks, presumably one of the latest models of the German Leopard 2. The purchase of equipment and maintenance of the battalion will cost 260-315 million euros per year.
“If you have to fight, and war is much closer than it seems, you will want to give our boys and girls the best equipment,” former head of the country’s armed forces Mart de Cruyff said, commenting on the decision.
The program also includes the acquisition of new frigates and F-35 aircraft. The Netherlands’ defense budget will be increased by 2.4 billion euros, exceeding the 2% of GDP threshold required by NATO.